Support for a vibratory parts feeder



Nov. 15, 1960 F. E. SMITH SUPPORT FOR A VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1957 FIG. I

I K lo 2| CMiW ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1960 F. E, SMITH 2,960,214

SUPPORT FOR A VIBRATQRY PARTS FEEDER Filed May 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. F OYD E. $MITH 4y N 1950 F. E, SMITH 2,960,214

E SUPPORT FOR A VIBRA'I'ORY PARTS FEEDER Filed May 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

FLOYD a. sum-n BYMXM ATTOR NEY Novl 15, 1960 F. E. SMITH 2, 6 ,214

SUPPORT FOR A VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER Filed May 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FLOYD E. SMITH BY mzw ATTOR NE-Y Nov. 15, 1960 F. E. SMITH 2,960,214

I SUPPORT FOR A VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER Filed May 10, 1957 S-Sheets-Sheet s 443 FIG.8

2,960,214 SUPPORT FOR A VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER Floyd E. Smith, 3430 Glenside Ave., Erie, Pa. Filed May '10, 1957, Ser. No. 658,342 Claims. (Cl. 198-420) This invention relates to sorting machines and, more particularly, to the vibratory type of sorting machines for a large number of articles of manufacture wherein the articles are to be dressed into proper positions of alignment preparatory to feeding them to a subsequent manufacturing operation.

This application constitutes a continuation in part of patent application, Serial No. 371,983, filed August 3, 1953, which issued as Patent No. 2,832,464, and is an improvement thereover.

In the present invention, particular embodiments of the springs used for supporting the hopper to accomplish the desired result are provided. Various embodiments of the springs are shown herein.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages in prior springs previous to the filing of the said parent application hereto and, more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel type of suspension forthe hopper of such machines which is economical to manufacture, simple in construction, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel type of spring for supporting a vibratory conveyor machine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sorting machine having spring supports therein which utilize both the torsional and bending effects in the spring itself and wherein the springs are adapted to be positively clamped to the hopper and to the base.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel type of sorting machine with a novel type of spring.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the the invention;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention with two of the three springs deleted from the drawing;

Fig. 4 is a view of one of the springs used in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a top View of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6; and

Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are isometric views of still other embodiments of the invention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawings,

machine according to 2,960,214 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 Fig. 1 shows a conveyor having a base 10 with a bowl 11 of a type familiar to those skilled in the art supported thereon by means of spring units 12'. The spring units 12 are made up of upwardly and angularly extending portions 13 which are swingably connected to the base 10 by means of headed studs 14 which extend through holes in the portions 13 and threadably engage the base 10. The upper ends of the portions 13 each have a radially extending cylindrical rod 16 fixed thereto at 17 and fixed to lugs 18 at 19. Lugs 20 are fixed to the bottom of the conveyor by welding or other well known attaching means.

The conveyor will have a driving means such as is disclosed in the said previous application and indicated at 21 which will comprise a solenoid 22 fixed to the base 10 and an armature 23 spaced therefrom and fixed to the bowl 11. The solenoid 22 will be excited by intermittent alternating current power which will cause the bowl 11 to vibrate at a frequency corresponding to the intermittent frequency of the applied power. The portion 13 will swing about its connection 14 and the rod portion 16 will be put into torsion, thereby applying a downward and, also, a rotational movement to the bowl 11 which will cause the articles of manufacture to move along a spiral track in the bowl 11 in a well known manner and in a manner disclosed for the springs in the said prior application. The proper partitions and article directing baffle can be applied inside the conveyor on a spiral track 28 to accomplish the dressing of the parts desired. This technique is well known to persons skilled in the art of vibratory conveyors and constitutes no part per se of this application.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention utilizing springs 112 similar to the springs 12 shown in Fig. 1 and numerals in Fig. 2 having one hundredv added thereto indicate corresponding parts in Fig. 1. The feeder will have a solenoid arrangement similar to the solenoid and armature shown in Fig. 1. The. distinction in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 from that shown in Fig. l is that the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 has a hollow cylindrical rubber 133 bonded to the inside surface of the hole at 134 of the springs 112 and to the outer periphery of studs 114 at 135. Therefore, when the solenoid .applies a force on the hopper 111, the hopper will be pulled downwardly and also rotated, exerting a torsional force on a cylindrical bar 116 and also causing a shearing force on the rubber 133. This will result in a rotational downward movement of the hopper 111 followed by a reversal of this movement which will tend to convey articles along a track 128 in a conventional manner.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a hopper 211 is supported on a base 210 by means of helical springs 213 which are attached to a lug 218 at 219 and the lug 218 is in turn attached to the hopper 211 at 220. The lower ends of the springs 213 are attached to the base 210 by means of lugs 214 which are attached to the base 210 at 233 by welding or other fastening means. The springs 213 will urge the hopper 2'11 upward at 234 when the solenoid attached between the base 210 and the hopper 211 is excited by intermittent power; that is, the hopper 211 will be pulled downwardly and rotated to give the springs 213 the form shown in Fig. 4. At times between the intermittent application of power, the hopper 211 will, therefore, be returned to its upward position'when the intermittentcurrent is discontinued.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs.

6 and 7, a hopper 311 is supported on a base 312 by is attached to the center of a diaphragm 333. The 'diaphragm 333 may be made of a sheet of rubber or elastic material. The periphery of the diaphragm 333 is attached to the base 312 at 334 and the shaft 316- is guided in its movement relative to the base 312 at 33 5 bythe links or levers 313. The levers are'sudngably attached to the base 312 31.314 and swingably attached .to the hopper 311 at 320. Therefore, when"a solenoid such as the member 21in Fig. 1 applies an intermittent force between the base 312 and the hopper 311, theho-pper 311 is guided in a downward helical path by the links 313 and the shaft 316 in turn applies a torsional and downward force to the diaphragm'g333- which in turn applies a force of equal magnitude by way of a'restraining force urging the hopper 311upward in ahelical path.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8, a hopper 411 is supported on, a base 410, by means of U-shaped springs 413. A suitable solenoid and armature such as shown in Fig. 1, for example, will be provided. Legs 416 of the U-shaped springs 413 are of equal length and will be inserted into apertures .417' in lugs 418 and legs 414 will be inserted in. apertures 415 in .lugs 430.

The lugs 418 and 430 will beattached to the base 410 by welding or by studs 420. A suitable solenoid and an armature similar ,to that described'in connection with Fig. 1 will be ,used. The springs 413 are rectangular in cross section as shown. 'When the solenoid exerts an intermittent force between the base 410 and the hopper 411, the portion of the spring 413 between the legs 416 will flex and the 1egs'416 will be stressed in torsion. A smooth symmetrical movement of the conveyor will result. V

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 9 shows springs 713 having the lower ends thereof fixed to lugs 716. The lugs 716 are fixed to a base 710, the springs 713 being inserted in apertures 717 in the lugs 716. Lugs 718 arefixed to'the bottom of a hopper 711 and have legs 714 of the springs 713 inserted in apertures. 715. The springs 713 are L-shaped in this embodiment of the invention and an upright leg "71 9 of the spring713 acts as a lever spring in bending whilethe legs 714 are stressed in torsion. The springs 713 are rectangular in cross section as shown.

In the embodiment of the inventionshown in Fig. 10, p

a base 510 supports a hopper 511 on springs 513. The springs 513 are U-shaped having a short lower end leg 514 inserted into anopening 515 in lugs 516 which are fixed to the base 510 at 520. The springs 513 have an upper long legwhich is attached to the hopper 511 by means of lugs.518 being inserted into an aperture 521 therein. 7 The action of the springs 513 in this embodiment ofthe invention is somewhat like the action of the springs 413 in, the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8 except that of Fig. 10, the shortbottom leg 514 is put in torsion and aproper solenoid will be,

provided as in Fig. 1 to provide power for the device.

In the embodiment otthe invention shown in Fig. 11, a base 610 supports a hopper 611 through a Z-shaped spring 613. The lower ends of the springs 613 are turned radially outwardly to form a lower leg 614 which is inserted in a hole 615 in lugs 616. The lugs 616 are fixed to the base 61tlat 612. The upper ends. of legs 625 extend radially inwardly from the intermediate parts of the springs 613 andthe distal ends of the legs 625 are inserted in an opening 626 in .a lug.627 which is in turn fixed to the hopper 61 1.. A suitable solenoid and intermittent power supply similar to that used in the other embodiments shown are provided. The difference in the spring 613 in the embodiment in Fig. 11 over that in Fig. 10 is thatthelower leg is turned outwardly in Fig. 11. This causes an entire springiaction to react to the hopper closer to thelcenter of the hopper than in Fig. 10 and therefore, provides an advantageous action The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel and is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

I. A vibratory conveyor comprising a generally cylindrical hopperhaving a helical track disposed therein, a base, springs, said hopper being supported in spaced relation to said base by means of said springs, each said spring having an intermediate portion and two end portions, one said end portion being bent at an angle to said intermediate portion, said bent end portion of each said spring being disposed radially of said hopper, the material -of said springs being rectangular in cross section, one said end of each said spring beingfixedly attached to said hopper by means of a lug having an opening therein complementary tosaid spring, the end of each said spring being received in said opening in said lug, the lower ends of said springs being fixedly attached to said base by means of lugs receiving said spring lower ends, and means to exert an intermittent force on said hopper to deflect said springs whereby said hopper is vibrated in a helical path to move articles of manufacture along said track.

2. A vibratory conveyor comprising a generally cylindrical hopper having a helical track disposed therein, a base, springs, said hopper being supported in spaced relation to said base by means of said springs, each said spring having an intermediate portion and two end portions, one said end portion being bent at an angle to said intermediate portion, said bent end portion of each said spring being disposed radially of said hopper, one said end of each said spring being fixedly attached to said hopper and the other said end being fixedly attached to said base, and means to exert an intermittent force onsaid hopper to deflect said springs whereby said hopper is vibrated in a helical path to move articles of manufacture along said track, said springs being generally in the shape of a Z with the end bars of said Z extending generally radially of said hopper and said base.

3. The conveyor recited in claim 2 wherein the upper leg of said Z extends from said intermediate portion of said spring toward the center portion of said base and the outer leg extends outwardly therefrom.

4. A vibratory conveyor comprising a generally cylindrical hopper having a helical track disposed therein, a base, springs, said hopper being supported in spaced relation to said base by means of said springs, each said spring having an intermediate portion and two end portions, one said end portion of each said spring being bent at an angle to said intermediate portion, said bent end portion of each said spring being disposed radially of said hopper, one said end of each said spring being fixedly attached: to said hopper and the other said end being fixedly attached to said base, and means to exert an intermittent force on said hopper to deflect said springs whereby said hopper is vibrated in a helical path to move articles of manufacture along said track, said springs being non-circular in cross section, the upper ends of said springs being inserted in an opening in a bracket, said and a; difierentand desirable gactionpver. that in the pther embodimentsof the invention-herein...

bracket being fixed to said hopper, the lower ends of said springs being rigidly attached to said base in such manner that the intermediate parts of said springs are deflected in cantilever fashion, the upper ends of said springsextending radially of said hopper.

5. A vibratory conveyor comprising a generally cylin drical hopper having a helical track disposed therein, a base, springs, said hopper being supported in spaced relation to saidbaseby means of said springs, eachsaid spring having an intermediate portion and two end portions, one.fsaid'.end portion being. bent. at .an angle. .to said intermediate portion, said bent end portion of each said spring being disposed radially of said hopper and being cylindrical in cross section, said cylindrical end of each said spring being fixedly attached to said hopper and the other said end being fixedly attached to said base in such manner that said intermediate portions of said springs are deflected in cantilever fashion, and means to exert an intermittent force on said hopper to deflect said springs whereby said hopper is vibrated in a helical path to move articles of manufacture along said track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Mar. 18, 1958 

